Tales of Love and Loss During and After the Battle
by Skylarking
Summary: 5 stories of how people's lives have changed and come to be as the Epilogue says. Each is a different couple and altogether different situation.
1. Harry and Teddy Ginnys PoV

The little boy with the wildly curly brown hair and soft chocolate coloured eyes, so much like his fathers, stood before Harry and asked a question that, without a doubt, broke his heart. "Hawy, where's mum and dad?"

What possible way could he respond to that. Tears sprung to my eyes immediately. I knew my husband felt his past and his loss that he had been too young to remember. I knew he hated that Voldemort had taken the parents of another child because he knew how much it hurt first hand.

Harry wiped under his eye, I couldn't be sure if it was simply a gesture or to stop his own tears. "Well Teddy, you know of the war with the very bad man Voldemort?" Teddy shook his head yes, we understood that he knew the gist of it but he was too small for the whole thing and in our eyes, would always be.

"Your mum and dad fought him but he-" Harry stopped. How could you possibly explain that his parents had been killed? That never would they tuck him into bed and kiss him good night. Never would they send him off to Hogwarts. Never would his mum be there for his bad dreams or the mean kids that hurt him. And never would his dad be there to show him how to ask out his first girlfriend. His parents will never be there for the celebrations. And he will be reminded of that every time a note comes in asking his friends about their lives.

Harry knelt down and took Teddy's hands. "Well Teddy, if you've heard of Voldemort than you have surely heard of Dumbledore?"

Teddy shook his head again, this time with a smile. Everyone knew of Dumbledore, an undisputed hero.

"Then Teddy your parents are, and will forever be, with him. They will forever be heroes."

Teddy shook his head but how can you be sure a six year old truly grasps the fact that their parents are dead.

And the statement that shocked us all, "so, they aren't coming back for me?"

Harry pulled him in for a hug, now I was sure he was crying. My husband, Harry Potter, a man nearly killed by the most evil being, betrayed more times than can be counted and orphaned just after his first birthday, was brought to tears by the young boy who will suffer the same loneliness as he did himself. "No Teddy, they aren't coming back. But it is not because of you, it is because of Voldemort."

Standing a little ways back I could see the solitary tear slip from Teddy Lupin's eye. In that moment I promised myself that never would this boy cry over it again. I, Ginny Potter, would make sure of it.

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**Hope you enjoyed, my New Year resolution last year was a job and 5 Fanfiction stories and so here I am. Thanks guys :) I had wanted to wait to add this story until I had finished all the ones for this idea but time has just about ran out but that's alright.**


	2. Arthurs PoV of Fred dying

**Ok, I`m really nervous to post this one and I don`t know why. I don`t know how to fix it though and this is the second one and I don`t know. So please, tell me what you think especially if you know what would make it better because I don`t love it. Thank you fabulous readers and I hope you enjoy even though...AHHH, well anyways, read away.**

It has happened so many times before; a child lost and a family broken. For a little I thought it would come to that for my wife, Molly, and me.

Fred, the most outgoing twin, was killed in the final battle. In the end, good came from our struggle but to lose your son, I didn't think Molly would recover.

When Voldemort had been defeated and the bodies of the deceased were being brought to the Great Hall every corpse that you did not recognize was a blessing. But it also tore at your heart to know that someone who had fought beside you had lost a loved one. You would watch and each one was a good person who had their lives end too soon.

I had my arm wrapped around my wife's back, supporting her against me. She sobbed quietly as Remus and Nyphodora's lifeless bodies were brought past. It was terrible to see the gaping wound in her chest. My thoughts went instantly to their new baby. They would have been such a happy family. I squeezed her tighter, assuring her I would always be there.

Percy walked in carrying a body in his arms. The shock from seeing him without his trademark angry bitter smirk was enough to distract me from the redheaded form in his arms.

I went through the Weasleys that have already been seen well and safe;

Ginny and Harry were standing off to the side, Ron and Hermione were with them, Bill and Fleur had helped with the bodies, Charlie and George were gathering the injured and Percy had just passed...with the only unaccounted for Weasley.

Fred.

Molly stepped away from me and I let her go reluctantly, we must have realized at the same time, she was first to react.

She ran through the crowd to the cot on which our son had been laid. Percy was sitting silently off to the side, holding his brother's hand, not even a twitch when we came up beside him.

This would be the hardest on him, if he came back that must mean he never stopped missing us and he had been absent for quite a few of his younger siblings achievements; especially the joke shop.

As the three of us stood motionless and in silence the rest of our family approached. A horrified gasp as the state of Fred was taken it.

He had clearly been hit from the explosion, most of us hadn't seen it but we heard it and felt it. There were rock shards sticking into his arms and legs, I had seen that with the others too. The one that killed him though was clear, sticking right out of his chest.

Molly was brushing the hair away from his forehead.

When someone says the worst thing that can happen to you is losing a child, you agree. But you never fully understand the hole it leaves in your chest until it happens. Each breath becomes a chore; it hurts like no physically inflicted pain could.

Harry was holding Ginny and smoothing her hair, she had turned to hide her face in his chest. I don't remember a time she has ever cried.

Ron was holding Hermione who was clearly calculating how to solve the problem but was coming up short; there simply was no solution to death.

Bill and Fleur were working together to help the others who had lost their family and I smiled to myself.

I was glad that everyone had someone else to help them. I rested my hand gently on Molly's shoulder, it was meant to be a gesture of love and reassurance, it was to thank her for being there. But she shook it off.

I put my hand back down and waited for her to come to me. I must just be too soon.

And so I waited through his funeral.

And I waited through the reconstruction of the wizarding world.

And I waited...just-waited.

Molly stopped welcoming me home with a smile and stopped kissing me when I left for work. She stopped the family dinners and conversation altogether.

I didn't know what to do, the days had turned to weeks and weeks to month but she never came to me so my choice? Try going to her.

"Molly, I'm home," and as usual my statement was met with icy silence but today it was my silence to break.

"Molly, I'd really like to talk to you..."

"Yes Arthur, I'm in the lounge."

I took a deep breath because this was my chance, our last chance. Nearly thirty years of marriage and seven children and this could be the end; I couldn't continue to live here where it is made quite clear I am unwanted.

"Molly, love, we need to talk. About this...about us."

"Goodness Arthur, we are talking but I am very busy."

Even though she wasn't she clearly wished she was. Her light brown eyes flickered around the room nervously looking for something to do.

I knelt down at her feet and took her small hands in mine, she tried to pull them away but that wouldn't do.

"Molly, I love you and I don't want to lose you but I can't live like this. I can't keep coming home every night knowing you can't look at me without hatred."

"Arthur, I don-"

"Molly, just wait. What is wrong? What is different for you? He was my son too, I loved him just as much as you did and do. I know it's hard to let him go but I don't understand why you blame me."

And then it hit me, maybe that was it. Maybe she did blame me for our son's death. Was it because I wasn't there to save him? Or was it that I didn't teach him right?

I started to pull away, was it really my fault? Could I have done something differently? But before her hands completely slipped from mine Molly broke down into tears.

"That's absurd Arthur, how could that be your fault? We all know it's because of me, was it really that bad living here that I pushed all of our sons away. Bill had to get married to someone I loathe. Charlie moved to Romania, ROMANIA Arthur, why did he go so far? Percy, well, Percy just left because he hated me, I don't know what I did. Fred and George had to leave school early to start their joke shop; obviously they couldn't stay here one more year to finish school. And then Ron, he takes off without telling me where he's going and I may never see him again. Is it really too hard to say goodbye?"

But with Fred, never will I have the chance to redeem myself as a mother to him. I will always be the woman who no longer washes his socks. Do you see now Arthur? I drove away all of our children, the only reason Ginny's still here is because she's too young to not be!"

I was completely and utterly shocked, how in the world do you respond to such an outrageous thing?

I started by maintaining my silence as I stood up and pulled my beautiful sobbing wife up to stand with me so I could hug her. That's all; I missed that so much, the closeness of my best friend.

"Molly, my wife, the most wonderful mother, my dear, you are looking at it in all the wrong way. You think they left you but they didn't. They left because you raised them and gave them the power to do as they wish. Ron couldn't say anything, the ministry couldn't know love, it wasn't you, it was to help us, we couldn't have too much information. Yes, the twins wanted you to wash their socks but you had shown them how and that's more important. Charlie, well, Charlie, he has made a life for himself all the way in Romania. He had to leave the country to do what we taught him, to follow his dream. And Molly, you don't hate Fleur anymore, remember? And Percy, he came back, that's what matters."

She stepped back and looked at me, I was hoping she wasn't going to slap me, I didn't think I deserved to be hit but if nothing else, thirty years have taught me that you never know.

"Arthur, I love you."

My face broke out in a wild grin, I brought my forehead down to hers, "I love you too, and don't ever leave me again."

And then I kissed her, just because I could and after so long that's all I wanted.


	3. Lupin Dying

I knew it was coming, the green light flashed before my eyes. And now, against my better judgement, I had so much to lose.

Unlike the stories of one's life flashing before their eyes, I had the family I had never let myself dream of.

I was fighting for us all but I was leaving behind my sweet baby boy and my loving wife. He was going to look like me and though I wasn't so sure that was a good thing, his mother was rather insistent that nothing better could be in his future.

I would always remember him reaching for me out of his crib; I would never understand how so many people could want me just as I am.

And then his mother, Tonks. It always seemed so silly to call her Tonks when her last name is now Lupin. There is an odd sense of pride in that. And she is yet another who is more than happy to take me as I am, wolf and all.

But as I take my last breath and satisfy myself that because of me, my son will have a brighter future I save the last image of my beautiful wife with her crazy pink hair and duck beak making our brown eyed son laugh and me holding them both close as we wait for our picture to be taken.

And I'm happy knowing that by society's standards, I, Remus Lupin, have succeeded in life.

I knew my time was up but I still wasn't ready to cross over, something was keeping me still.

Everything fell into place though as I felt a small, familiar hand slip into my own. Though I am happy to be with her forever our son is now without both of his parents and that's something winning this war won't change.

**And another, hope you enjoyed and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review! And must I say I don't own the characters, I'm sure not but I'll follow the trend anyway.**


	4. Tonks Dying

I saw the Death Eater mouth the words to a killing curse and I turned my back, I had nothing else to do because it was coming too fast. I waited impatiently for death to take me. If it's over, screw it and let me die already.

But it didn't come, well damn, I was all ready for it and everything. Coming into the battle I had come to terms with my own death, not that I'm wishing for it because even now I'd much rather be home singing off key lullabies to the only person in the world that doesn't care that I can't sing, my son.

I stopped to look around to see why I am still standing here asking myself this question when I saw my husband lying peacefully on the hard stone at my feet.

This image of him breaks my heart in so many ways. Never in our bed sleeping have I seen him so at ease, never while talking or eating or playing. Not even when laughing. The only other time I have seen his features so relaxed is when he was holding our son and he thought there was no one around.

I want to break down and cry. Poor Teddy will never know the wonderful man that was his father. Poor me, my husband is dead. This self pity stuff angers me, generally, but I had to persuade and convince and reason why we should get married...hell, I even had to propose.

Then I had to do it all over again but with ten times more effort for our son, and then again for him to stay. I had always told myself that when we were old and had each other, he would come to thank me. Even now I felt it was getting there. But now he is dead and never will I talk to him again.

Standing here with death surrounding me, and all I can think of is never holding someone again. When either of us had bad dreams, there was someone there, and as dumb as that sounds, when you've been through what we've been through, you understand. I no longer have someone to kiss and wish a nice day and there will be no more "I love you"

And bloody hell, so much for not breaking down in the middle of a war. I'm an auror for god sakes. I took a deep, shaky breath to regain my composure. There's a war I need to go fight and win.

I turned around and was not so pleased to discover I've been circled.

"Ain't she a pretty little one?"

"I must say, I agree."

"What d'you think we should do with her?"

"Have our fun" I shivered at his wink...at least that would give me time to think.

"We haven't got time. But I know."

I felt myself lose control of my body. I tried to block my thoughts as I was taught even as I was unwillingly making my way to the knife lying on the ground.

"What d'you say boys?"

They laughed and the sound made my stomach turn, nothing good could come from this. At least I could feel myself coming back, now I could fight it.

"Oy, she's a strong little one, someone help me."

I knew that was the end, it had always been made very clear. One person trying to control you could usually be overpowered but two? You were a goner.

I briefly felt myself drive the newfound weapon through my heart and the men cheer. I thought about my son and knew that Harry as godfather was a good choice.

I hoped this getting to the crossover point didn't take too long, I hoped Remus knew I was coming and something held him there. As always, I was right behind him.

**So, what did you think? It seems as though my pleas for a review didn't work too well and it's really disappointing to see people read the first story and not go from there, that just sucks. The more chapters I add the less people read them so truly, thank you for getting this far. Hope you enjoyed :)**


	5. George and Angelina, finally a happy one

I saw this coming I just didn't know it would take him this long to get around to it. He had been distancing himself from me since his brother`s funeral.

Finally a month afterwards George brought me to 'our' room in the joke shop and we took our usual spots on the upside down crates. I call it 'our' room because it is more like a fort than an actual room, it's where stuff is kept in the back of the shop but we've had our fair share of...fun in this here.

"Ange, I think we should take some time apart right now." Did I not totally call that one? But I wasn't letting Weasley here get away without a figh-er-discussion.

"Why?"

He sighed like this was obvious, "Because."

"No George, that's not going to pass anymore, for over a month you have not talked to me and if you are breaking up with me we are going to talk now." I'd had enough, I know he misses his brother but I have been through it all with him, you'd think I would have proven myself by now.

"Angelina, why can you not just accept that we aren't right? Maybe we should just move on!" Oh and he thinks he has the right to be angry? Well he has another thing coming.

"Because George no other girl would have taken your crap for the last while, that's why. I've really had enough of you feeling sorry for yourself, we've all lost someone. I'm sorry I can't replace your brother!" I was fuming, it didn't take much to tell you the truth but I could usually suppress it.

"My crap eh Ange? My twin, my brother, my best friend, the co-owner, my flatmate...is gone. He filled all of that and I have lost him and you are complaining about my CRAP!"

"Yes Geroge, I really am! I have lost a month of my life catering to you. Every night I am the one with you when you wake screaming. I have taken the subtle insults and the icy silences because you chose to blame me for everything that I'm NOT doing for you. True, you lost all of that and you expect me to fill all of those roles without letting me in! When was the last time you treated Fred like this?"

"DO NOT BRING HIM INTO THIS!"

"Why not George? The problem is that I can't be him."

"No Angelina, it's not. The problem is that with you I have trouble controlling my emotions and I hate it. I have never cried before except in front of you. I have never hurt as much as I did at Fred's funeral and you saw. And I never yell, ever yet here we are. I haven't treated you well recently and you shouldn't take it but you still stay. I don't want you to be with me, I am broken. You should be with a real man, not someone who can't keep from crying, god, I don't know what my problem is but I thought being away from you would solve it."

"Oh, so now you have no trouble talking to me. You've just been holding it in then; clearly this is entirely my fault."

"Yes, it is your fault. I am vulnerable around you just like Fred even though it's a different way I still feel it. It hurts so much to have lost him and I don't want to feel that so strongly again so losing you now is a hell of a lot better than losing you later on."

I don't want to cry but his logic is so messed up, I don't want to lose him either, I love him, I can't let him go.

"Aw, come here darling, Ange, don't cry love."

He opened his arms and I went to him thinking; this is how it should be always.

The next evening as I was locking up the shop with George he grabbed my hand and spun me around, we were standing in the busiest section of Diagon Alley but he felt it necessary to kneel down on the cobble stone path.

"Angelina Johnson would you, my beautiful girl, give the honour to the holiest man you know and marry him?"

My first reaction was shock

The next came us glee and I started bouncing and saying yes

And finally the good come backs came to mind like asking "the holiest man, I'm sure I wouldn't mind but where is he?" or saying "Oh, I thought you were asking for yourself." But no, like all come backs they came too late, I was already engaged.

"Love, I'm sorry about yesterday. I had gone to ask your father's permission to marry you and he brought up some good points...too good and that got me thinking. But never mind that...thanks for saying yes, especially in front of all these people."

George stood up and kissed me with an appreciative amount of enthusiasm. In the background someone yelled "save it for the wedding!" and all I could think was 'Welcome to the Weasley Family'.

**I'm glad people are reading these and hopefully enjoying them, I like writing them :). Thanks Jon for checking this one and my last one. Again, because I can't help myself, PLEASE review!**


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